Not So Seventh Heaven (Revised)
by musicnutftw
Summary: All Lissa Highwind wants out of life is a good breeze and a fast airship. Her uncle Cid has different plans for her in the form of his old teammates. Concerned about his niece, he has her join him on a trip to Edge to answer a call from Barret. Lissa finds herself knee-deep in strange people she's never met and their crazy schemes.
1. Highwind

A/N: So, I wrote the original version of this story nearly four years ago now, and it always bugged me that I never finished it. I thought maybe I could just pick up where I left off, but upon re-reading it, I was a bit shocked. It was short, there wasn't a lot of detail, and the characters felt kind of shallow. It was with that in mind that I decided to start clean: same story, different content. This first chapter is the fruit of my labors. This isn't going to update nearly as regularly as some of the other things I've written, and I'm trying to do longer chapters to make up for that. Bear with me as I explore the world of FFVII from Lissa Highwind's point of view.

* * *

I remember the day the rain fell all over. I remember the feel of the Geostigma disappearing from my body, remember getting better, but more than all that, I remember what happened next like it was yesterday.

...

My ears won't stop ringing from the sound of my uncle drilling a hole into something. Taking a deep breath, I reach as far as I can under the main steering console, but I just can't reach the loose nut. I might have to disassemble this whole thing just for that one part, and all because Cid doesn't like the rattling noise.

Ducking down, I stretch, the wrench just catching on the nut when Cid shouts, "Door!" I jump at the sound, smacking my head on the bottom of the console.

"Shhhhhhit," I hiss, dropping the wrench.

"Door!" he yells again.

"I got it!" I snap in return, grabbing my wrench before getting to my feet and rubbing the back of my head. Who the hell would be knocking on the door to an airship? We're kind of in the middle of nowhere out here.

Pulling the front hatch to the airship open, I find myself looking up into the bluest eyes I've ever seen. Unconsciously, I take a step back, frowning at the stranger before me. He's dressed all in black, wearing what looks like a zip-up turtleneck sweater with long pants. His hair is painfully blonde and spiky, and the expression on his face is curious.

"Can I help you?" I manage when I find my voice. He's...intimidating. It's not like he's particularly tall or really beefy or anything. It's more like this aura he gives off, like his presence could fill a room. It definitely fills this tiny hallway leading into the bowels of the ship.

"I'm looking for Cid Highwind," he says, his voice low and soft. A shiver trips down my spine, but I find myself nodding.

"Right. Who's looking for him?" I manage to dig deep for a little bit of bravado. Whoever this guy is, I wonder how he knows my uncle.

"Cloud," he replies, his gaze zeroing in, uncomfortably, on me.

"Gimme a sec," I say, taking another step back and turning a little so I can call out, "Hey, Cid! Someone named Cloud here to see you!"

"Cloud?!" he shouts back. "Bring the son of a bitch here!"

I frown. That's basically an endearment from Cid. Looking up at Cloud, I see the faintest hint of a smile on his face. I think I'm starting to get an idea of who this guy is...or at least how he knows Cid. "Follow me."

The idea of having a stranger at my back has never been something I've enjoyed, especially in a small space, but if Cid trusts him, then I guess I have to as well. "Marco!" I shout, my voice echoing in the small space.

"Who the hell is Marco?" Cid snaps, and I turn toward the sound of his voice.

"You're not too old to know that game," I call in return.

"I ain't got time for games," he replies as he steps out in front of us, wiping his face on a rag. When he sees Cloud, he smiles, thumbing his nose. "Hey, there."

"Good to see you again," Cloud says, and I lean against the wall so the two of them can see each other properly.

"What brings you here?" Cid asks. "Usually, if y'all need me, you just call."

"We did," he states. "Tifa and Barret couldn't get through to you."

Cid frowns, patting his back pockets and then his apron pockets, pulling out his phone. He flips it open, looking confused. "Damn thing won't turn on."

"Lemme see." I take it from him, holding down the power button. "Your battery's dead."

"Oops," he replies. "Well, how the hell did you find me?" Cid asks Cloud.

"Tifa said you told her you were out here somewhere," Cloud replies. "I figured I'd find you if I searched."

"That sounds like a lotta work. What the hell for?"

"Barret wants to talk to you about something. Tifa said it'd be best if you came to the bar so everyone could discuss it as a team."

Cid sighs, putting a hand on the back of his head. "The whole gang, huh?" He turns, walking away from us and toward the bridge. Shaking my head, I follow, hearing the sound of boots hitting the ground behind me.

When we get to where I started my day, Cid's turning on his phone, a cord connecting it to the nearest outlet. Rolling my shoulders, I duck back down to where I was working earlier, ignoring my uncle's grunting as he tries to navigate through his phone.

"Damn, that's a lot of messages," he grumbles. "The hell is this important?"

"I don't know," Cloud says. "Whatever it is, though, Barret said he wants an airship."

Cid lets loose with a string of curses that make me laugh as I finally reach the nut that needed tightening. Mission success. Sighing, I lay on the metal floor, taking slow, deep breaths. Absently, my hand slides into my pocket, fingers wrapping around the materia that rests there. The tiniest bit of nausea rushes through me, but mostly, it's comforting.

"Lissa!"

I jump, the materia slipping from my fingers. Sitting up, I hit my head on the console again, wincing. "Yes?" I whimper, rubbing my forehead.

"Make yourself scarce. I gotta talk to Cloud about something." Cid has a hand on his hip and a cigarette in his mouth. Apparently, whatever he was to talk to Cloud about is important, if the expression on his face is any indication. So, why can't I hear?

"Fine," I say, rolling my shoulders. "I'm going riding."

"Don't break your neck," Cid says, and I wave over my shoulder as I make my way out of the bridge. It's probably better I don't listen to whatever the hell they're going to be talking about. All I want right now is to work on airships and things like that. I don't need anything else in my life.

With that in mind, I make my way to the outer deck, the warm air outside feeling good on my face. There are parts strewn across the floor, making almost a star-shape around my latest attempt at a small flying machine, my flyer-glider.

Airships are great and all, but they're meant for lots of people or long distances. For the past few months, ever since I recovered from the Geostigma, I've been working steadily on this vision of mine, to create a speedy, easily maneuverable aircraft that would be convenient for short trips. It's been a long work-in-progress, but about a week ago, I finished it.

It looks like a cross between an airplane, a handcar, and a canoe, which sounds like a mess, but it works. It's got propellers on the front and on the bottom to generate lift, and it gets up to 80 miles per hour, if I really push it, though that gets a bit dangerous. The only downside is that I haven't been able to figure out a reliable fuel source for it. Ever since mako energy got the boot, it's been harder to power things. It's amazing how reliant we once were on our planet's own life source.

Sighing, I get on the glider, starting it up and gripping the steering wheel. It's not really a wheel, just a small, semi-circular bar that separates into two joysticks if I need to make more minute adjustments to my flight path with the push of a button.

I start it up, kicking off from the deck and taking to the sky. The initial take-off is bumpy, but once I'm in the air, I fly straight up, heading for the clouds. There's something so liberating about being in the sky, something no other feeling could ever compare to. From up here, I feel untouchable, like nothing could possibly hurt me.

With the press of a button, I set my glider to hover, and I sit down, looking at the world below me. I can see Cid's airship, the _Shera_ from here, though I could cover it with my hand. Shera's back in Rocket Town, doing research for a few projects for Cid. He calls her at least once a day, the only sign that he misses his wife. I don't have a lot of memories of her, but the ones I can remember are fond. That makes it even worse when I think about how I'm the reason he's had to be away from her for so long.

I move to rake a hand through my hair, forgetting it's still tied up in a ponytail from work this morning. I slide out the little blue ribbon holding it up, running my fingers through it before tying it back up again. Getting to my feet, I take control again, heading back down toward the ground.

It couldn't have been more than ten minutes that I've been away, but as I get closer to the ship, I hear a rumbling sound. From the shadow of the ship darts something small and black. It's moving fast. Curious, I move after it, getting closer and closer. I think...it's a motorcycle.

I get really low, catching sight of spiky blonde hair. It's Cloud. Feeling cheeky, I kick my glider into high-gear, zipping along until I've caught up with him. He looks over at me, and I give a wave before racing past him. He catches up in a matter of seconds, easily keeping pace with me. Just for fun, I flip the glider upside down, flying with my head close to the ground for a little bit before righting myself, zigzagging along beside him.

We approach an actual road instead of the dirt we'd been traveling across, and I give him another wave before somersaulting and heading back toward the airship. When I finally touch back down again, the landing is pretty bumpy, and I hear something snap, making me grit my teeth. This thing is a piece of work, that's for sure.

Rolling my shoulders, I jump down, gathering up the loose pieces on the floor, heading back inside and to the bridge where my toolbox is. Cid's standing at the front of the ship, looking out the front windows, the ash from his cigarette hanging, the cigarette no longer lit.

"You okay?" I ask him, tapping him on the shoulder. He jumps, the cigarette falling to the floor.

"Shit, kiddo, you scared me." His hand falls on top of my head, and he messes with my hair.

I swat his hand away, frowning as I remove my ribbon. "You okay, Uncle Cid?"

He nods, but there's a distant look in his eyes. "I'm heading to Edge."

"Edge? Is that where your friends are?" I've heard so many stories, most of which he told me while I was barely conscious, dying from Geostigma, about the friends he'd made over two years ago, when he helped save the world. These were the same friends he'd left me alone to help a few months ago. Somehow, he'd known I'd be okay. In hindsight, it was a crazy gamble, but if I was going to die anyway, risks seemed necessary.

"Yeah." He doesn't say anything for a moment before meeting my eyes. "You wanna come along? I think you'd like them."

"Oh, really?" I say. "I mean, I don't know. I think I work better with machines than with others."

"Didn't used to be that way," he replies. "Used to be you were annoying-like, all perky and shit. I miss those days."

"You don't sound like you do," I tell him, smiling. Biting the inside of my cheek, I nod, despite the nerves slowly making their way into the pit of my stomach. "If it'll get that look off your face, I'll come along."

"What look?" he asks, stomping on the cigarette he'd dropped, that cocky grin sliding across his face that I'm used to.

"That's better," I say, taking a step back. "Well, when do we head out?"

"Soon," he replies. "Edge is only an hour by airship."

"We're flying there? Where the heck are we going to land this thing?"

"Tifa'll figure that out for us." He stretches his arms high over his head, sticking another cigarette in his mouth. "We'll cast off in 5 minutes. Make sure to bring your damn contraption in and strap it down, unless you want it to break like last time."

"Yeah, yeah," I drawl, skipping past him and back out onto the deck. Last time we took to the skies, my glider had jumped ship, landing on the ground below. So many pieces…. It had taken a while to fix, but in some ways, it wasn't all bad. I rebuilt it better than ever, and I'm not about to go through that again.

I bring it inside, doing as Cid asked and securing it tightly just in time for the sound of whirring engines. Dashing back into the bridge, I make my way to the front, where all the windows are, grinning.

"Here goes!" Cid shouts as we start to lift off.

"Woo-hoo!" I cry, jumping and throwing a fist into the air. As nervous as I am about meeting new people for the first time in ages and returning to that forsaken hellscape that was once Midgar, even those fears can't take away the exhilaration of flying. "Edge, here we come!"

…

I step into a bar, looking around for the woman Cid told me to find. Apparently, he'd texted someone named Tifa, and she'd said she had a place for him to land his ship. He was currently hovering a half a mile from here, waiting on me to report in. What I wouldn't have given for us to swap places.

As it is, I stand near the door, letting the atmosphere sink in. Everything is made of dark wood, from the tables to the chairs, the walls, floor, and bar itself. There aren't a lot of people here right now, but it's still kind of early for a place like this. I can smell beer and a twang of cigarette smoke as I cast my eyes around the room.

"Welcome," a voice says, drawing my attention to the woman standing behind the bar. She smiles at me, her red-brown eyes warm and inviting. I take a steeling breath, weaving my way through the tables and chairs toward her.

"What can I get for you?" she asks.

"I'm actually looking for someone," I tell her. "Tifa?"

"That's me," she replies. "I don't suppose you're Cid's niece, Lissa?"

"Mm-hm." I nod at her words, adding, "he said you'd have a place to land his ship."

"Give me ooone second, and I'll show you." She turns away from me, shouting, "Yuffie! Watch the bar for me!"

"Where are you going?" is the reply, but I can't see where it's coming from.

"To get Cid," she says, turning back to face me. "All right, let's go."

"Uh, sure." I follow her out of the bar, back out into a late spring evening, the sun not quite set yet. Everything looks so quiet and peaceful. It's hard to believe this place was once a battleground and the seat of the majority of Geostigma victims.

"Where's Cid?" Tifa asks, breaking me out of my thoughts.

"He's not far from here. He wanted me to call him once I found you so we could talk him through where he's going to land." I pull out my phone, dialing his number. After a few rings, he picks up, and I say, "Yo, you ready?"

"I'm not napping up here," he replies, sounding suspiciously like he'd been doing just that.

"All right." I pass my phone to Tifa who gives me a smile.

"Hey, Cid. Where are you exactly?" A few beats of silence. "Okay, if you head about a quarter mile east of the bar, there's a spot Barret cleared away. It might be a tight fit, but you could land there. It's fenced in, and Barret owns the land." Another beat of silence. "I don't actually know." Muffled shouting. "Yeah, yeah. You can tell him when you see him tonight." Silence. "I'll pass you back to Lissa, and we'll meet you there."

She hands me back my phone, and I put it up to my ear. "Hey, do you still need me?"

"Nah. I'll call you back if I do," Cid says. He sounds like he's got another cigarette in his mouth, and I sigh. Those things are going to kill him.

"Cool. See you soon." I hang up, slipping my phone back in my pocket before looking over at Tifa.

"All right, let's head on over or else we'll have to put up with Cid's attitude," Tifa says, smiling wryly.

"I think that'll be the case regardless. He's been kind of cranky today," I reply.

"When isn't he?" she asks, making me laugh. I follow after Tifa, and we banter back and forth about Cid's various moods, the atmosphere generally pleasant. I'd been prepared to feel so many levels of uncomfortable for the remainder of the day, but Tifa's so easy to talk to. She doesn't make me feel like a stranger, and she has such a ready smile. I'm a bit envious.

We reach a fenced-in enclosure with what looks like a foundation laid in the center. Other than that, the land is clear, which is impressive for the location. Everything in this part of Edge so far has looked more run-down that it did when it was Midgar, with buildings falling apart, rubble everywhere, and mostly dirt paths that have to serve for those walking and driving.

Tifa unlocks the fence, and we step inside just as a strong wind starts to buffet us. Looking up, I see the _Shera_ making its way toward us at a leisurely pace. It's too loud to talk anymore, so the two of us watch as my uncle maneuvers a smooth landing, perfectly onto the concrete below. Once he cuts the engine, we make our way over as the gangway is lowered.

"What the hell is this for?" Cid asks as he walks toward us.

"I told you," Tifa replies, "I really don't know. Barret can do what he wants with his own money, even if it makes no sense to the rest of us."

He rolls his eyes, saying, "Where the hell is he, anyway?"

"Out with Reeve. Whatever it is they need everyone for, apparently, they're still working out details."

"That son of a bitch calls me out here, and he's not even around when I show up? What's up with that?"

"To be fair," I say, "they've been trying to reach you for how long, and you're only just getting back to them?"

"Whose side are you on?" he snaps at me, but there's no real venom in it.

"I think we're going to get along just fine," Tifa says, smiling at me. "Anyway, you're more than welcome to come back with me to the bar while you wait."

"Fine," Cid grumbles, flicking the ash from his cigarette. He stomps his way back to the ship, making sure to close the entryway and secure it before walking past us, straight for the gate. When he pulls on it and it doesn't open, he grimaces, looking back at Tifa. "The hell are we standing here for?"

Tifa shakes her head at the same time I let out a sigh. We exchange a smiles before Tifa holds up a little keychain at Cid. It's got a red pom-pom on the end, and what looks like three or four keys. "Hold your chocobos, I'm coming."

We head back to the bar to find it in utter chaos. It's gotten a lot busier in the half hour or so we must have been away, and there doesn't appear to be anyone manning the bar. There's a girl with short black hair dashing between tables, trying to get drink orders, but she looks exhausted and a bit confused.

"This place apparently can't run without me," Tifa says. "Make yourselves comfortable." With that, she heads into the fray, relieving the short-haired girl from taking orders and putting her behind the bar.

"Some things never change," Cid says, making his way over to a table in the corner. I follow him, not really sure what I should be doing.

"So, we wait?" I ask him.

"Yeah, cuz some people can't keep their appointments," Cid replies.

I roll my eyes, sighing. "Do you want me to get you something?" I ask him.

"Just a beer," he says.

"Sure, sure." I wave a hand at him, heading toward the bar. Tifa's helping someone else, but she turns to me shortly after.

"Taking orders?" she asks me.

"Apparently. Can I get a beer?" Tifa gives me a smile, pouring one from the tap and sliding it over to me.

"And for you?"

"I'm good," I reply. "Not much of a drinker."

"Me neither," she says, smiling.

"Then why run a bar? I know it doesn't need to go hand in hand, but it seems kind of goofy."

"Bars are places where people gather," she tells me, leaning in a little closer. "And when people gather, they share information. I like to keep track of that information and know what's going on around town."

"Gotcha." It almost sounds like gossip, but something tells me Tifa doesn't care about who's dating whom and things like that.

"Besides, it's a fun atmosphere. I hope that if I surround myself with people who're having a good time, it might keep me positive."

"Right. I can understand that idea."

"Tifa, another round!" the girl with the short black hair calls from one of the tables. How she got back out there again is beyond me, but she looks like she's losing her marbles.

"Do you need help?" I ask Tifa.

"We'll manage," she replies. "You're a guest. I couldn't as that of you."

"Mm. But you're not asking. I'm offering."

She gives me a wry smile before saying, "All right, but don't say I didn't warn you. Take Cid his beer and then take his half of the room."

"Yes, ma'am," I say, snapping a salute that makes her chuckle.

Setting Cid's beer in front of him, I give him a lazy wave, turning to walk away. "The hell are you going?" he asks.

"To help," I reply, heading over to the farthest table to start attempting to do just that. Turns out, taking orders isn't easy, especially since I've never done it before. I have a good memory, so I don't need to write anything down, but there are a lot of people here. It's crowded, it reeks of alcohol, and the cigarette smoke is like a low cloud, obscuring my vision. After about an hour and a half of this, I'm starting to feel a bit nauseous.

"You should take a break," Tifa tells me as I head up to the bar to get another table's drinks. "You've been such a big help already."

"Thanks," I say, giving her a weary smile. "I think I just might, after I take these." I grab the drinks, stumbling a little but not spilling anything. Between the smells, running back and forth, and trying to be pleasant to the already very drunk people, I'm exhausted. After dropping off the drinks, I head back up to the bar.

"Here." Tifa passes me something, and when I raise an eyebrow, she says, "It's ginger ale, I promise."

"Thank you," I reply, taking a swig. It calms my stomach almost entirely in one go, and I breathe a sigh of relief as someone sits down beside me. When I look up, my eyes go wide. "Cloud, right?"

The spikey blonde nods as Tifa slides him a drink. "Cid's niece," he says. "With the crazy flying machine."

At first I think he's talking about the _Shera_ , but then I remember my hover-glider and my antics what feels like forever ago. "Lissa," I reply, "and it's not crazy. It's...got character."

He raises an eyebrow before taking another drink. "Sure."

"It's okay," I say, tapping my fingers against my glass. "Not everyone can handle how amazing my genius is."

I'm rewarded with a snort as he nearly spits out his drink. "Oh?" As he turns his brilliant blue gaze on me, I feel my heart start to beat a little faster.

"Totally," I reply. "Take Tifa for example." She's passing by as I say this, so she stops, looking at me. I pretend not to notice as I say, "When we first met, I amazed her with my ability to carry an intelligible conversation with Cid."

"She's not wrong," Tifa says, laughing. "She handles him like a pro."

"I ought to be good after putting up with him for so long."

"I can't fathom what could be so difficult," she says, walking away.

I smile, looking out at the crowded bar. Most people look like they have their drinks and are having a good time. There's not much for me to do right now, and the other girl appears to have gone missing.

"It's okay if you're jealous of my hover-glider. If you want, I'll give you a ride sometime," I tell Cloud, smiling.

He shakes his head, saying, "Pass." I raise an eyebrow, and he says, "I get motion sick."

"Motion sick? Huh. I guess everyone has something like that."

"Is that so?"

I nod. "I mean, I'm terrified of boats."

"Coming from someone who can fly in an airship without fear."

"It's different," I reply. "There's just something about being over water like that. It just…." I trail off, shuddering slightly.

Silence falls between us, and I take another drink before saying, "So, I'm taking a guess here, but you and Tifa are part of the group my uncle helped two years ago, aren't you?" Cloud nods, and I sigh. "I figured. He told me a lot of stories about you when...well, anyway, that's really cool. And you fought the bad guys a few months ago too."

"The bad guys, huh?" Cloud takes another drink, and silence stretches between us. "Yeah, that was us."

"I guess I owe you all my thanks, then," I say, getting to my feet. I give him a small, shy smile, feeling a bit stupid all of a sudden. An explanation gets stuck in my throat, so instead, I just turn and walk away, heading back into the fray.


	2. Mako Eyes

I don't know if I could have made more of an idiot of myself talking to Cloud. After another half hour of serving drinks, I get too distracted and have to stop, dropping myself in a seat at Cid's table.

"Had your fun?" he asks me.

"Mm." I lower my head to the table's top, closing my eyes. "I guess so." I should have just left our conversation at Cloud saying he fought a few months ago. Why did I have to add a cryptic thank-you? Now he's going to be wondering what the hell I was talking about. Somehow, under that piercing blue gaze, I couldn't bring myself to admit I'd nearly succumbed to Geostigma. For some reason, the thought just made me feel pathetic.

"So, I saw you talking to Cloud earlier," Cid says. I groan, and he sighs. "What?"

"I made a moron of myself. Is he always like that?"

"Like what?" Cid asks. I know he knows what I'm thinking, but he just wants to give me a hard time.

"All quiet and serious. He makes me feel stupid just by being there."

"You ain't falling for him, are you?" Cid queries, his voice sharp.

"No, no, no," I sputter, raising my head from the table. Cloud's not unattractive by any stretch of the imagination, but that's not something I'm going to be telling my uncle. "He kind of...scares me?"

"He might look tough, but he's a softie," Cid replies, leaning back in his chair. Apparently, my vehement denial appeased his "fatherly instincts." He looks over toward the bar, and when I follow his gaze, I see he's looking at Cloud. The spikey blonde is gazing out at the crowd, his face expressionless.

"Kid's been through a lot of bullshit, and there were times when he didn't want to fight anymore, but he always comes through when it counts."

I nod, not really sure what to do with this information. It doesn't make me any less afraid of the guy. Only time and maybe getting to know the "softie" side of him could do that.

"About time," Cid says, getting to his feet as the door to the bar opens. I stand up as well, looking at the two newcomers. One of them is a beefy black man with...a gun on his arm? I'm not sure I believed that part of my uncle's stories until this exact moment. The other man with him has shoulder-length, thin black hair, and looks...kind of familiar.

Pain. Blinding, agonizing pain shoots through my skull, racing down my body. I grab my head as I collapse onto my knees, trying to focus on breathing. Flashes of fluorescent green blind me, forcing my eyes tightly shut as I gasp.

It's over in the span of several seconds, a quiet episode in the middle of a hectic, noisy bar. If I'd been alone, no one would have noticed. As it is, Cid is by my side, his hands on my shoulders.

"Lissa!" he hisses, his eyes full of concern.

"I-I'm fine," I manage, gingerly removing my hands from my head. "I just…." I just what? I don't even know what could have triggered that.

Cid grimaces, helping me to my feet. I'm a little unsteady, but I use the table to keep myself upright. "It was the mako, wasn't it?" he asks.

"Yeah. It hasn't happened in a while, I promise," I reply, feeling like a little kid getting scolded. When I was 16, I used to suffer from mako-induced headaches a few times a day. It's been getting better, but certain things can still trigger it. What I want to know is what on earth did it this time.

"There's the bastard I've been wanting to see!" The man with the gun-arm has made his way over to us, a big smile on his face. "Where the hell have you been?"

"Working!" Cid shouts, crossing his arms. "Been busy."

"Too busy for old friends?"

"Damn straight." Cid gestures to me, and I stand up straight, trying to hold myself together. "Barret, this is my niece, Lissa."

"Nice to meet you," Barret says, offering me his actual hand.

I shake it firmly, stating, "Likewise."

"Take a seat, jackass," Cid says, pointing at an empty chair at the table.

"I will in a sec. First, I gotta find my baby girl." Barret waves at us before sauntering up to the bar, slapping Cloud on the back.

"His baby girl?" I ask, looking at Cid.

"Yeah, Tifa looks after his daughter and another kid who ain't got no parents. It's a damn shame what all this fighting's taken from us." Cid lights another cigarette, and I sigh.

"That's something I think we could all agree on."

…

Time passes pretty quickly, and soon Tifa's closed he rbar, enlisting my and the short-haired girl's help in cleaning up. The girl wastes no time in introducing herself as " _the_ Yuffie Kisaragi, ninja extraordinaire." She tries to chat me up for a minute or so before Tifa tells her to get to work.

During this time, Cid and Barret are talking to that man with the black hair from earlier, Cloud joining them when Tifa tells him to vacate his seat or get cleaned with it. There's a knock at the door at the back of the bar, and I have to refrain from staring as a red dog-cat thing comes inside, thanking Tifa for letting him in. Yes, _thanking her_. Upon seeing my surprise, he introduces himself as Red XIII, but apparently, I can call him Red. This isn't strange or anything.

The only thing that could possibly make it stranger is the next person who comes in. He's got long black hair, a claw for a hand, and is dressed in black with a red cape and enough buckles to open his own business. His eyes are blood red, and I'm glad they only fall on me for a second before he settles in a corner, arms crossed, watching everyone.

"All right," Barret shouts, getting to his feet from where he was sitting with my uncle. "Since we're all here, I'm gonna start talking."

"About time!" Cid jabs, making Barret's eye twitch in irritation.

"Shuddup," he grumbles. "Here's the deal. I need a couple of you to come with Cid and me to Mideel. I got a promising contact there who wants to talk business. Only problem is, the place is swarming with monsters, lately. So, who's in?"

"I suppose I could join you," Red says. "How did you find this 'promising contact?'"

"Jackass in a wheelchair told me," Barret grunts. Which I guess is a fond nickname for somebody everyone knows save for me.

"He's actually not in that wheelchair anymore," Tifa adds.

"Hell if I care," Barret snaps. "Anyway, who else is in?"

"I'll come as well," Vincent says, his low voice sending chills down my spine.

"Appreciate how I don't actually get a say," Cid retorts, leaning back in his chair, putting his feet up on the table in front of him.

"Damn right, you don't," Barret says. "Can't walk to Mideel, and there ain't a ferry taking people there, so your ship is the only way we're getting there easy."

Cid mumbles something that sounds an awful lot like, "Arrogant, piece of shit bastard," but I could be wrong. All the same, it makes Barret kick the legs of Cid's chair, knocking him to the ground.

I step forward, worried he's hurt himself, but Tifa puts a hand on my arm, giving me a reassuring look before she intervenes between Cid and Barret. "Do us all a favor," she says, her voice suddenly commanding, "and sit down!" Barret does as she asks without question, and when Cid looks like he's about to argue, she narrows her eyes, making him think better of it.

"You're guests in _my_ bar, so you're going to act like it," she says. "Next person who does something stupid is going to get thrown out in the streets. Do I make myself clear?"

Cid and Barret mutter yes'ms, and look down at the table, chagrined. I'm so surprised I can't stop staring at Tifa who has single-handedly managed to silence two grown, loud-mouthed men. I could learn a thing or two from her.

"Good," she says. "Now, you're all welcome to stay here for the night, but you'll have to sleep down here. Do what you want, but don't make too much of a ruckus."

Tifa turns, walking back toward the bar, hanging a right and going up a staircase as conversation starts up again. I hang out in a corner, away from everyone, thinking. If Cid's going to need the airship tomorrow, that means it's off-limits for me to sleep in tonight. Does that mean I'll be crashing here with everyone else?

"Newbie!"

I jump at the sound of Yuffie's voice as she throws an arm around my shoulders. "U-um, hi?"

"Welcome to the group! Who would have thought Cid had a niece?" She removes her arm, much to my relief, but she leans against the wall beside me, meaning I'm going to have to chat with her.

"I don't know," I reply, shrugging. I don't think that's a real question, but I have no clue what I should actually say.

"I mean, it's totally cool and all," she adds, smiling. "Another girl in the group is awesome."

Am I actually in the group? I'm pretty sure I'm just here so that Cid doesn't worry about me. He's been doing that a lot since...well, since my dad died. "Is it just you and Tifa then?" I ask.

"Yeah. We do all right. Hey, how old are you?"

"What?"

"How old are you?" She leans in close as she asks this, her eyes wide and expectant.

"Twenty-one," I reply. "Why?

"Dang it!" she cries, drawing back a bit so she's no longer invading my bubble. "I'm still the youngest."

"Enjoy it while you can," another voice says, and I turn to see that man with the short dark hair approaching. The one who'd triggered that headache from earlier. "You're only young once."

"You can say that because you're old," Yuffie pouts, and I raise my eyebrows at her words. That was...kind of rude.

He laughs it off, however, turning his gaze on me. "I don't think we were properly introduced. Reeve Tuesti, at your service." He holds out his hand for me to shake, and when I do, my head starts to rush.

"Lissa Highwind," I reply, breaking contact immediately after. The rushing stops, but my stomach is feeling a little queasy. Reaching into my pocket, I grab hold of the materia there, comforted and repulsed in equal turns.

"You look familiar," Reeve says, frowning at me. "I don't suppose we've met before?"

"It's possible," I tell him. "My memory's pretty bad, though, so the odds of me knowing are slim." That's an understatement. There are entire periods of my life that I just can't remember or that I can only recall in bits and pieces. It doesn't usually bother me. Most of the memories I cherish are still in my head, and if they weren't, I wouldn't know anyhow.

"I'll have to put some thought into it," he adds, smiling again. A shooting pain darts behind my eyes, and I wince, rubbing my temple.

"You okay?" Yuffie asks.

"Fine," I reply. "I-I'm going to step outside, I think. Excuse me." Nodding to them both, I push off from the wall, darting out the back door.

The night air is warm on my skin, and it smells like rain might be on its way. I wish it could rinse me clean of these awful headaches. What is it about Reeve that bothers me so much? Maybe we really have met, and it's part of a memory I just can't reach.

Sighing, I run a hand through my hair, looking up at the sky. It's dark, covered in clouds, so I can't see anything save the moon trying to peek through. I'd rather be up there than down here, trying to navigate my way around strangers.

The door beside me opens, and Cloud steps out, a glass in his hand. He passes it to me, and I raise an eyebrow. "It's not alcohol," he says.

Which is one of my thoughts. The other is that it's drugged, but I don't really think my uncle would be friends with the kind of guy who would do that. Sighing, I put my hand in my pocket, grasping my materia as I take a drink.

My head clears immediately, my nausea passing like it was never there. "What is this?" I ask.

"Tifa's hangover remedy," he replies. "Apparently, it also works for mako poisoning."

I almost drop the glass, spilling a little bit of it in the process. "How did you…?"

"A guess," he says, "that you just confirmed." I stare at him, surprised and a little upset with myself for not trying to play it off when he says, "It's your eyes."

"Huh." I look down at the glass in my hands, noticing I'm trembling the tiniest bit. I'm not sure if it's left over from earlier or from this conversation. Taking another drink, I say, "It's been a long time since someone said that to me. I don't know that the average person knows what mako eyes look like anymore."

"Maybe not," he replies, but he doesn't say anything more, leaving us in silence. However, it doesn't feel awkward. It's more just...two people enjoying the same night sky.

I don't know how long we're out there like that, but it's enough time for me to finish my drink. Just as I'm thinking about going back inside, the door opens, and out steps Tifa.

"How are you feeling?" she asks me.

"Better," I reply. "Thank you."

"I'm glad." She gives me a small smile as she says, "I want you to know we won't bug you about it." I must have looked confused because she continues. "Your eyes. Yuffie might prod, but the rest of us don't like to pry in personal business."

"Oh. Um, it's okay," I tell her, feeling a little embarrassed that she was worried about me. "It's not like it's some huge secret or anything, but...thanks. Really."

She nods before saying, "I made up a bed for you upstairs. I think everyone's going to stay over, but the guys will be sleeping in the bar. You don't have to stay as well if you don't want to, but...the offer stands."

"Oh, I don't want to impose," I reply.

"You won't be," Tifa says. "You can think of it as payment for working tonight. I don't know how long everyone will be on this mission, but you're welcome to stay until Cid comes back."

That's right. It's not like I have anywhere to stay while I'm here, and I don't know when my uncle will come back. I don't really have a lot of options. "In that case, thank you again."

She gives me another smile before lookin at Cloud. "What about you? Are you going to stay as well?"

"I think so," he says.

"Good," she replies, and I swear, her eyes seem to light up with that word. The look she gives Cloud makes me feel like I'm intruding on something personal, and I wish I could get past them and back inside without bothering them.

"Barret might hunt me down if I don't," Cloud adds.

"You're not wrong," she chuckles before turning and holding the door open for us to go inside after her. Once we step back in, I notice everyone's still just hanging out talking, although most of them are sitting down now, save for Red who's lying on the floor. I also don't see Vincent or Reeve anywhere, not that I mind. Neither of them make me very comfortable.

Tifa shows me where I'll be sleeping, a room with one other bed and two futons laid out on the ground. "This is my room," she explains. "Let me know if you need anything else, okay?"

"I will, thanks," I say. "Um, I think I'll just go to sleep. It's been a long day."

"All right," she replies. "I'll be careful not to wake you when I come in later."

"Don't worry about it," I tell her. "I'm a heavy sleeper." That's a lie, but I don't want her to put herself out for me. She's already being so kind.

"Good night, Lissa," she says. "Welcome to the team."

"Good night." She leaves the room, and I settle onto my futon, crashing as soon as my head hits the pillow.

…

 _Ah, the test subject has returned._

 _If you struggle, you'll only hurt yourself._

 _Come now. Be a good girl and quit fighting._

 _I won't let them hurt you._

I sit bolt upright, tears streaming down my face. Where am I? It's dark. So dark. Someone bumps me in the darkness, and I jump, only to see, in the dim light coming in from the window, that it's Yuffie. I press a hand my hands to my mouth, trying to suppress the scream that still wants to tear itself from my chest, even as my ragged breathing starts to even out. When I feel it's safe, I take my hands from my mouth, instead grabbing the sides of my head as I look down at my lap, eyes shut tight.

 _It's fine. It's over. You're safe now_. I have to repeat this to myself, time and again until the tears stop. It's been five years, but I'm still haunted by nightmares. I wonder if they'll ever really stop.

I notice a sharp pain in my leg and reach in my pocket, only to pull out my materia. I'd forgotten to put it away before going to sleep. Maybe that was why I had that dream. Sighing, I get to my feet, careful to step over Yuffie on my way to the window. I pull the curtains aside, and the dim moon's light streams in.

Holding up my materia, it glints red in the darkness, making me remember more things I wish I could forget. Who would have thought something so small could have caused so much pain? I push up the window pane, pulling my arm back, ready to throw the materia out into the night.

After a moment of stillness, I chuckle darkly, lowering my arm, balling my hand into a fist around the little sphere. If it really was that easy to get rid of, I would have done it years ago. Honestly, it's not the materia's fault I'm like this. It's just...the only thing left of the things I suffered that I have to blame.

Slowly, I close the window, pulling my blue ribbon out of my other pocket and tying it onto the materia. I place it under my pillow, running a hand over my face. I'm sure it's early morning by now, but I don't think I can go back to sleep just now.

I hear a soft sound from somewhere beneath me. Is someone still awake? Quietly, I creep out of the room, heading for the stairs. As I make my way down, I hear a rustling. Someone is still up and moving.

When I get down to the main part of the bar, I see a little lamp lighting up the dark room just enough to maneuver in, which is exactly what Tifa is doing. She's got a pile of blankets, and I watch as she drapes one over Barret who's fast asleep, his head on the table in front of him. Tifa's very careful not to bother him but to make sure he's covered at the same time.

I make my way toward her, and she looks up, giving me a smile. "Can't sleep?"

"Bad dream," I reply. "Can I help?" She passes me a few blankets before heading to the other side of the room. I watch her go for a moment before turning to Cid, who's sleeping across from Barret. He's still wearing his goggles, which makes me smile. That's a very Cid thing to do; it's like he's always prepared for flight.

I slide the goggles off his head, ignoring the groggy grumbles he elicits as I put a blanket over his shoulders. He's such a cranky guy, but in sleep, he reminds me of the man I remember from my childhood…. He was so much lighter back then, so much less burdened. My father looked like the rough one in comparison most of the time.

Smiling, I move on, covering Red and Reeve. Tifa meets me back by the bar when we're both finished, and she puts a finger over her lips before gesturing for me to follow her to the stairway.

"Thanks," she whispers once we're halfway up the stairs.

"No problem," I reply.

"They always crash like that when we get together," Tifa says, the smile on her face like that of a patient mother. It's...endearing. It makes me want to get to know her better, to learn why she's so...nice.

"It's kind of cute," I reply. "I get the feeling this doesn't happen often, though."

"Not as much as it used to," she says. "Everyone's been so busy lately, so I can hardly blame them, but that doesn't stop me from wishing we could spend more time together."

"I can tell." She raises an eyebrow at me, and I quickly say, "I just mean, it's easy to see how much you care for everyone. That's all."

After a moment, she gives me a wry smile. "Am I that easy to read?"

"Oh, no, no," I sputter.

"I'm teasing you," she says, putting a hand on my shoulder. "Relax, Lissa. I promise, we won't hurt you. We're all friends here."

"Sorry," I mumble, feeling stupid. "It's been a long time since I've been around so many people. I'm not really sure how to act."

"Just be yourself," she says. "Let us figure out the rest."

"Easier said than done," I reply.

She shrugs. "No one's going to force you. It's honestly up to you whether you want to become friends with us." With that, she heads up the stairs, leaving me alone in the dark.

* * *

A/N: Ta-dah! Another chapter! The gang's all here, and they're going on a mission! Some of them. Lissa's backstory is pretty heavy, and I'm looking forward to teasing it, in all honesty. Expect a lot of that. Anyway, thanks for reading, and a special thanks to **KD14** and **in citrus heights** for the reviews!


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